Gaging apparatus



F. B. KING, JR

GAGING APPARATUS May 24, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1956 May 24, 1960 F. B. KING, JR

GAGING APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

5F1 3 MEJWA United States Patent GAGIN G APPARATUS Fenton B. King, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Shelfield Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1956, Ser. No. 588,394

4 Claims. c1. 33-174) This invention relates to gaging apparatuses and more particularly to an apparatus for simultaneously gaging a relationship between a plurality of surfaces on a part.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gaging apparatus for rapidly and accurately measuring the orienmum of a plurality of surfaces on a part such as the angular disposition of fins or vanes on a projectile component.

It is a further object to provide an apparatus for rapidly and accurately measuring the angular relation of a part surface such as a fin or vane of a projectile relative to a supporting or hub portion thereof.

It is a further object to provide such an apparatus havmg receiving means for engaging a threaded portion of a part to be gaged and operable to draw reference surfaces of the part into engagement with positioning surfaces of the apparatus, the receiving means drive being readily reversed following gaging to release the part for removal.

It is a further object to provide an apparatus wherein a gaging assembly is movable relative to a surface to be gaged, the assembly having locating means engaging the surface at one point therealong to position gaging means carried by the assembly and responsive to the disposition of the surface at another point therealong, actuating means being provided to retract the gaging assembly during loadline 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fin or vane unit of a shell gaged in the exemplary application of the present invention,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a member for preventing rotation of the part during loading and unloading,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the apparatus, and

Figure 6 is an enlargement of a small portion of the sectional view of Figure 2.

By way of exemplification, the invention has been illustrated herein as embodied in an apparatus for gaging the angular disposition or twist of the fins or vanes on a shell component. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that apparatuses embodying the present invention may be adapted to other forms and to a large variety of other applications. Accordingly, even though one particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail, there is no intention scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the instant embodiment the apparatus accurately and to thereby limit the invention to such embodiment,,but,'

I Patented M l/ 6 rapidly checks the twist or angular disposition of fins on a shell componentrelative to the central axis of the component and with respect to reference surfaces thereon. The part has a threaded end by which it is mounted in the shell assembly and this end is inserted into a driven receiver which draws reference surfaces of the part into engagement with positioning surfaces of the apparatus to thus dispose thepart axis in a desired disposition.

Floating gaging assemblies are provided for'each of th fins. Each assembly includes a locating contact for engaging the respective fin adjacent one end thereof. Engagement of the locating contact serves to position gaging means carried by the assembly and disposed for association with the fin adjacent its other end. The gaging means is responsive to the twist or angular disposition of the fin. Indicating devices are provided for each of the gaging means and through examination of each, the angularity of each respective fin can be determined and through a comparison of the readings their relative angular positions easily ascertained.

The exemplary fin unit forms a part of a projectile and is indicated at 10 in Figure 3. The part comprises fixed fins or vanes 11, annular locating surface 12 by which it is positioned on the shell, and threaded mounting means 14 by which it is secured.

The illustrated apparatus comprises a base 15 supporting receiving and positioning means 16 for the part and a series of gaging assemblies 17 through 22 for association with the fins.

The receiving and positioning means 16 provides a locator 25 fixed to base 15 and having an annular positioning surface 26 for engaging the reference surface 12 of part 10. A driven receiver 27, internally threaded at 28, is selectively driven in reverse directions by drive means later described. To load a part for gaging, its lower end is inserted through the passage of locator 25 and its threaded portion 14 engages receiver 27. One fin is located within the receiving slot 30 of a stop 31 fixed to base 15 (see Figure 4). Stop 30 prevents rotation of part 10 as receiver 27 is driven in one direc- 7 tion to draw the part downward and into engagement Receiver 27 has downwardly extending projections 35 meshing with upwardly extending projections 36 on a driving member 37. Receiver 27 is biased upwardly by spring 38 and has a limited amount of vertical movement against the resilience of spring 38. This prevents forceful engagement of threads 14 on the part with threads 28 of the receiver.

Driving member 37 is driven by a shaft assembly- 40, a commercially available reversible slip clutch unit 41, and a shaft included within assembly 42 driven from an electric motor mounted in base 15 and not shown. Unit 41 is controlled by rocking of lever 45 pivoted at 46 on base'15 and positioned by handle 47 against the resilience of spring 48. With lever 45 rocked in a counterclockwise position as seen in Figure 2, drive to receiver 27 is in a direction to draw the part down and into gaging position. When the part becomes firmly engaged with positioning surface 26, clutch unit 41 slips.

When it is desired to remove the part from the apparatus, depression of handle 47 reverses clutch 'unit 41,

ejecting the part from the apparatus. Projections 35 and 36 on receiver 27 and driving member 37 also allow drive during vertical movement of assembly 40 to control the clutch unit. Controllable drive units such as indicated at 41 'are conventional and commercially available and for that reason the unit and its control have not been shown in detail.

Each of the assemblies 17 to 22 comprises a body 50 rotatably supported on a spindle 51 as indicated in Figure 2 for assembly 18. When a fin unit or part is mounted in gaging position a fin is disposed adjacent and in cooperation with each of assemblies 17 through 22. Each assembly has a rearwardly extending arm 54 engaged by a projection 55 urged in a clockwise direction by spring 56 (see assembly in Figure 1).

Each assembly body 50 carries a locating contact 60 for engagement with the respective fin 11 of the part 10. This serves to position the body 50 about its axis of rotation and also locates a gaging unit 62 having a movable work contactor '64 in association with fin 11 at a point displaced therealong and adjacent its upper end. A portion of body 50 of assembly 17 in Figure 1 has been broken down substantially to locating contact 60.

Each of the gaging units 62 comprises a body fixed relative to the associated assembly body 50 and carried thereby. The body provides a fluid leakage orifice connected to an air leakage type gaging system and controlled in accordance with the movements of work contactor 64 within the unit body as determined by the displacement of the associated surface of fin 11. A suitable air leakage type gaging cartridge is disclosed in pered vertically disposed flow tube 68 and a conduit 69. 3

An indicating float 70 is positioned along tube 68 in accordance with the velocity of flow up through the tube and the escapage through the orifice within unit 62 as determined by the position of work contactor 64. Similar circuits and indicating tubes are provided for each g; the other gaging units of the remaining gaging assemres.

If, for example, the surface of fin 11 should extend vertically and parallel to the axis of the part 10 the outer end of work contactor 64 would be directly above the outer end of locating contact 60 and the fioat would have a given position along the tube. If the fin were twisted toward the work contactor 64 flow would be reduced and float 70 would be at a lower position in the tube and, conversely, if the fin were twisted in the opposite direction, the float would rise. Thus, each of the indicating floats discloses the angular disposition or twist of the respective fins and a comparison of the indicating floats in the battery of columns which are mounted adjacent and parallel will disclose the angular relationship between the fins.

A retracting pin 75 is fixed in the body 50 of each of the gaging assemblies adjacent the lower end thereof in direct opposition to a retracting post 76. A portion of assembly 20 has been broken down substantially to its respective retracting pin 75. Retracting posts 76 are fixed in a ring 80 rotatable on positioning member and connected to a lever 82.

Prior to loading a part into gaging position lever 82 is rocked in a clockwise direction as seen in Figgure l by spring 85 acting between base 15 and the lever. This swings ring 80 in that direction, bringing posts 76 into engagement with the retracting pins 75 of each of the gaging assemblies to rotate the assemblies against the bias of the respective springs 56 and move locating pins 60 and work contactors 64 out of the path of the part. After the part has been inserted into receiver 27 and drawn into engagement with positioning surface 26 clutch 41 clips, as previously described. At this time the operator grasps lever 82' to rotate it against the spring bias and move posts 76 in a counterclockwise direction freeing the assemblies for positioning by engagement of the locatingcontacts with the fins. The readings of the various indicating columns are then observed. Releasing lever 82 allows 4 automatic and simultaneous retraction of assemblies 17 through 22.

The operator then depresses handle 47 to reverse the clutch unit 41 and receiver27 rotates in the opposite direction. Rotation of part 10 is prevented by stop 31 and the part is automatically unthreaded and, in effect, ejected from the apparatus.

Thus a full study of the relationship of the various surfaces gaged is accomplished in a rapid and efiicient manner. Loading and unloading is simplified and the part is positively positioned against the desired reference surfaces. The various surfaces to be gaged are simultaneously measured and the relationships thereof presented in a clear and easily interpreted manner.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for gaging the relationship of a plurality of fins or the like extending outward from the axis of a part, said apparatus comprising a base, positioning means on said base for engaging reference surfaces at one end of said part to dispose the part for gaging and locate its axis in a predetermined disposition in the apparatus, a plurality of gaging assemblies on said base, one for each of the fins to be gaged, means on said base mounting said assemblies relatively spaced about the axis of said part, each adjacent a fin to be gaged, and including means mounting each assembly for pivoting movement about a predetermined reference axis on said base each assembly including a locating projection for engaging the respective fin at one point therealong to position the assembly about its pivot axis, a gaging unit carried by each assembly for association with the respective fin at a second point therealong, each gaging unit including a body positioned by engagement of the respective locating projection with the associated fin and a work contactor movable Within the body and responsive to the displacement of the fin along the line of gaging, the line of gaging being substantially circumferential about the part axis and lying in a plane ofiset from the part axis and including the point of engagement of the locating projection with the respective fin, first resilient means cooperating between said base and each of said assemblies biasing each respective assembly toward gaging association with the respective fin, actuating means operatively associated with each of said assemblies for simultaneously retracting said assemblies against the bias of said first resilient means, second resilient means cooperating between said base and said actuating means for overcoming said first resilient means and maintaining said gage assemblies retracted from gaging position, and manual means connected to said actuating means to overcome said second resilient means and allow simultaneous movement of said assemblies to gaging position.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 for gaging a part having a threaded end, said positioning means including a threaded receiver, reversible drive means for said receiver, control means for said drive means for rotation of said receiver in one direction for loading and drawing the part into gaging position and in the reverse direction for unloading.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including means on said base for engaging at least one fin of the part to prevent rotation thereof during rotation of said receiving means.

4. Apparatus for gaging the relationship of a plurality of fins or the like extending outward from the axis of a part, said apparatus comprising a base, positioning means on said base for engaging reference surfaces at one end of said part to dispose the part for gaging and locate its axis in a predetermined disposition in the apparatus, a plurality of gaging assemblies on said base, one for each of the fins to be gaged, means on said base mounting said assemblies relatively spaced about the axis of said part, each adjacent a fin to be gaged, and including means mounting each assembly for independent pivoting movement about a predetermined reference axis on said base during gaging, each assembly including a locating projection for engaging the respective fin at one point therealong to position the assembly about its pivot axis, a gaging unit carried by each assembly for association with the respective fin at a second point therealong, each gaging unit including a body positioned by engagement of the respective locating projection with the associated fin and a work contactor movable within the body and responsive to the displacement of the fin along the line of gaging, the line of gaging being substantially circumferential about the part axis and lying in a plane offset from the part axis and including the point of engagement of the locating projection with the respective fin, resilient means independently cooperating between said base and each of said assemblies biasing each respective assembly toward gaging association and to a gaging position determined by engagement of the corresponding locating projection with the respective fin, and means operatively associated with all of said gaging assemblies for simultaneous retraction thereof against the respective resilient means whereby the assemblies are moved from gaging position and operative to release saidassemblies for independent positioning during gaging.

References Cited in' the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Engst Oct. 8, 1935 Aller Feb. 27, 1945 Heckethorn July 31, 1945 Moore Sept. 9, 1947 Lorenz Oct. 18, 1949 Pattee Nov. 25, 1952 Nebesar Dec. 30, 1952 Fiorino Oct. 20, 1953 Mahlmeister July 5, 1955 Tandler June 5, 1956 Cargill Sept. 17, 1958 Aller Oct. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Aug. 31, 1953 France Nov. 19, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Produce Engineering, page 224, March 1953. 

